Hand-mounted indicia-reading device with finger motion triggering

ABSTRACT

A wearable indicia reader is worn on the back of a user&#39;s hand such that the act of pointing the user&#39;s index finger is sufficient to align the indicia reader and trigger the indicia-reading process. Triggering is achieved by sensing the user&#39;s finger in an image or by breaking a light path in a photogate.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the field of barcode scanners and, morespecifically, to the triggering of hand-worn indicia readers.

BACKGROUND

Generally speaking, wearable barcode scanners promote productivity andmobility for users who need to scan a large number of barcodes whilealso keeping their hands free. Under these circumstances, picking up andputting down a scanner would be tedious and distracting. What is more,non-wearable scanners can be easily dropped and damaged, leading torepair costs and losses in productivity.

Wearable scanners, such as a ring-mounted scanner, employ a barcodescanner worn like a ring on a user's right or left index finger. Thering-mounted scanner is connected to either a computer or wirelesscommunication device worn on the wrist and attached to the ring scannervia a flexible cable. The scanner is powered by a battery so that theuser is free to move around.

To use a ring-mounted scanner, the user points at a barcode to centerthe barcode within the scanner's field of view (i.e., scan line). Oncecentered, the user presses a push button, built into the side of thering-mounted scanner, to initiate (i.e., trigger) the barcode scan.

Ring-mounted scanners are typically used in high-volume workenvironments, such as warehouses. Here, thousands of barcodes may bescanned during a routine shift. Mechanical push buttons (i.e.,mechanical switches) on ring-mounted scanners pose reliability andserviceability concerns. Removing this push button would extend theservice-free life of the scanner and potentially save the user fromcosts associated with repair and/or replacement. In addition,productivity losses resulting from scanner downtime would be reduced oreliminated. Therefore, a need exists for a wearable scanner, like thering-mounted scanner but with a non-mechanical triggering method.

SUMMARY

Accordingly, in one aspect, the present invention embraces anindicia-reading device for reading indicia, such as barcodes. In anexemplary embodiment, the indicia-reading device is triggered by thenatural motion of the user's finger (e.g., index finger). Oncetriggered, the indicia-capturing subsystem acquires information aboutthe indicia within the indicia-capturing subsystem's field of view. Thisinformation is then decoded by the indicia-decoding subsystem. Next, aninput/output subsystem can be used for relaying decoded signals to ahost computer.

The indicia-capturing subsystem and the indicia-decoding subsystem aresubstantially enclosed by a hand-mounted housing, all of which are worntogether on a user's hand and powered by a battery (e.g., a rechargeablebattery). The indicia-reading device's hand-mounted housing is worn onthe back of a user's hand so that both of the user's hands are free. Thehand-mounted housing is positioned by finger rings for the user's middleand ring fingers so that the motion of the user's index finger (e.g.,pointing at indicia) triggers the indicia-reading process.

Some indicia-reading devices have indicia-capturing subsystems (i.e.,scan engines) that use image sensors to capture indicia information viaimage processing. Others use laser scanning to determine indiciainformation via the reflected light resulting from a laser beam scannedacross the indicia.

Indicia-capturing subsystems, which use an image sensor (i.e., area scanengine), capture images within the image sensor's field of view. Animaging lens is used to project the indicia-reader's field of view ontoa plurality of pixels, each pixel acting as a detector for a smallportion of the field of view. When the indicia-reading device uses animage sensor, a processor may be used to detect the movement of theuser's finger within the indicia-reader's field of view. The detectionof this finger motion forms the basis of an image-based non-mechanicaltrigger mechanism that is used to start (i.e., trigger) anindicia-reading sequence.

When the indicia-capturing subsystem uses a scanned laser beam (i.e.,linear scan engine), a photogate may be configured to detect themovement of the user's finger in order to start an indicia-readingsequence. The photogate uses a light source to create a light beam thatacts as a sort of tripwire. A photogate housing supports the lightsource and positions it to face toward an opposite-facing detector. Themovement of the user's finger disrupts the beam in the photogate-basednon-mechanical trigger mechanism, and the indicia-reading sequence isstarted.

The foregoing illustrative summary, as well as other exemplaryobjectives and/or advantages of the invention, and the manner in whichthe same are accomplished, are further explained within the followingdetailed description and its accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 schematically depicts the block diagram of a hand-mountedindicia-reading device.

FIG. 2 schematically depicts the block diagram of a linearindicia-capturing subsystem (i.e., linear scan engine).

FIG. 3 schematically depicts the block diagram of an areaindicia-capturing subsystem (i.e., area scan engine).

FIG. 4 depicts an exemplary hand-mounted indicia-reading device with animage-based non-mechanical trigger mechanism.

FIG. 5 depicts an exemplary hand-mounted indicia-reading device with animage-based non-mechanical trigger mechanism as worn and used.

FIG. 6 depicts an exemplary hand-mounted indicia-reading mechanism witha photogate-based non-mechanical trigger mechanism.

FIG. 7 depicts an exemplary hand-mounted indicia-reading device with aphotogate-based non-mechanical trigger mechanism as worn and used.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As schematically depicted in the block diagram of FIG. 1, a hand-mountedindicia-reading device can have an indicia-capturing subsystem 20 forconverting indicia (e.g., a barcode 130) into an electric raw signal 17and an indicia-decoding subsystem 50 for recognizing and deciphering theinformation encoded into the electric raw signal 17 and then forrelaying this decoded signal 18 in digital form to another system (e.g.,a storage device or an input/output subsystem). The indicia-readingdevice contains these subsystems within a hand-mounted housing 60 orotherwise attached to a hand-mounted support. A non-mechanical triggermechanism 70 can be used to initiate an indicia-reading sequence (i.e.,a scan sequence) via an electric trigger signal 85.

The barcode 130 is captured and converted into an electric raw signal 17by the indicia-capturing subsystem 20. Upon triggering, this electricraw signal 17 is sent to the indicia-decoding subsystem 50 forprocessing. Here, a processor (e.g., the processing core of amicrocontroller) decodes the electric raw signal 17, rendering it into adigital decoded signal 18 that represents the indicium (e.g., thebarcode).

The operating characteristics of the hand-mounted device for readingindicia are derived from the attributes of the indicia-capturingsubsystem 20 (i.e., scan engine). The scan engine illuminates or scans abarcode 130 with transmitted radiation 12 (e.g., light) and converts thereflected radiation (e.g., reflected light 14) from a barcode 130 intoeither an analog or digital electric raw signal 17 depending on the scanengine architecture.

One kind of scan engine, used in hand-mounted indicia-reading devices,is known as a linear (i.e., 1-D) scan engine. A block diagram of thisengine type is shown in FIG. 2. In the linear scan engine 30, a laserbeam 32 generated by a laser diode 31 is focused onto a barcode 130 by ascanning lens 35. A reciprocating scanning mechanism 33 scans the beamback and forth across the barcode 130. The process of scanning the laserbeam across a barcode generates reflected light 14 that is modulated bythe light and dark areas of the 1-D barcode. This reflected light 14 iscollected by a detection lens 37 that focuses the reflected light 14onto a detector (e.g., a photodiode) 38. What results from the linearscan engine 30 is an electric raw signal 17 (i.e., an analog signal)that represents the barcode information. These scan engines aremechanically robust and can be used for long-range scanning. As the namesuggests, however, 1-D scan engines can only scan linear 1-D barcodes.

To scan two-dimensional barcodes (e.g., QR codes) an area (i.e., 2-D)scan engine may be used. 2-D scan engines are known for theiradaptability to different indicia, and because they lend themselves toadvanced image-processing algorithms that facilitate improved scanperformance. As depicted in FIG. 3, the area scan engine 40 may includea multi-element image sensor (e.g., a CCD) 49, instead of a scannedlaser beam, to acquire indicia information.

In the area scan engine 40, illumination from a light source (e.g., LED)42 illuminates an indicium (e.g., a 1-D or 2-D barcode). Thisillumination provides enough reflected light 14 for the image sensor 49to acquire a good image. The shape and extent of the illumination light41 is controlled by the illumination aperture 43 (e.g., square aperture)and the illumination lens 44.

In addition to illumination, aiming light 39 may also be projected as apattern (e.g., cross-hair) onto the barcode 130 for the purpose ofaligning and positioning the indicia reader with respect to the barcode130. The aiming pattern results from an aiming light source 45 (e.g., alight emitting diode) transmitting (e.g., shining) through an aimingaperture 46 and, via an aiming lens 47, imaging onto the barcode 130.

In some embodiments, illumination is used without aiming. In others,aiming may be used without illumination. In still another embodiment,neither the illumination nor the aiming modules is used in the area scanengine 40. The configuration depends on the application details.

To capture the indicia information, the area scan engine 40 uses animaging lens 48 to focus the reflected light 14 from the illuminated andaligned barcode 130 onto a plurality of pixels within the image sensor49 (e.g., CCD). The pixels in the image sensor 49 can be thought of astiny photodetectors, each receiving a small portion of the entire scene.Readout circuitry in the image sensor 49 creates an electric raw signal17 representing the electronic response of each pixel so that a grayscale image of the field of view can be constructed.

Color image sensors 49 may also be used in an area scan engine 40 toprovide color images. In a color image sensor 49, filters representing aprimary (i.e., basis) color set (e.g., red, green, and blue) arearranged in a pattern (e.g., Bayer pattern) over the image sensor'spixels. A color image is created by measuring or interpolating the basiscolor responses for each image pixel. For example, each pixel in a colorimage is constructed by the red, green, and blue signal levelsassociated with that portion of the image. Color image sensors can beused to capture either black-and-white or colored indicia.

Either a gray scale or color image sensor may be used in an area scanengine 40 depending on the application (e.g., color image sensors couldbe used with colored indicia). In either case, what results from an areascan engine is an electric raw signal 17 representing the image of thebarcode 130.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the indicia-reading sequence (i.e., scansequence) is initiated by the trigger signal 85. After the device ispowered on, it operates in stand-by mode 75 awaiting a trigger signal85. In the stand-by mode 75, the hand-mounted indicia-reading devicerepeatedly captures indicia information and converts it to electric rawsignals 17. A processor continually monitors conditions for triggering.When a trigger condition is met (e.g., a signal exceeds a thresholdvalue), the hand-mounted indicia-reading device moves out of stand-bymode 75 and the indicia-reading sequence commences. In theindicia-reading sequence, the indicia-capturing subsystem's output(i.e., the electric raw signal 17) is sent to the indicia-decodingsubsystem 50. This electric raw signal 17 could be the last electric rawsignal collected by the indicia-capturing subsystem 20 prior to thetrigger condition, or it could be a new electric raw signal 17 collectedimmediately after the trigger condition occurs. Either way, aftertriggering, the electric raw signal 17 is processed and decoded by theindicia-decoding subsystem 50. After the scan sequence is complete, thedevice returns to stand-by mode 75 and again waits for a trigger signal85.

Traditionally, the trigger signal 85 was obtained via a mechanicallypressed switch (e.g., push button). In other words, a depressed pushbutton established a trigger condition. In the present hand-mountedindicia-reading device, however, the trigger signal 85 can be obtainedby the finger motion of the user. The mechanical switch is eliminatedand with it the concerns for the mechanical failures. Thisnon-mechanical trigger mechanism 70 is especially important inhigh-volume scanning environments.

In one exemplary embodiment, the trigger mechanism 70 is aphoto-tripwire circuit. This circuit could include (i) a photogate lightsource 210, (ii) a photogate detector 220, (iii) a photogate housing200, and (iv) circuitry for creating a trigger signal 85. Thisembodiment is simple and requires no image sensor but may requirededicated trigger hardware and electronics.

In another exemplary embodiment, the trigger mechanism is animage-sensing algorithm implemented by a processor. These algorithms maybe stored in flash memory and may be used to analyze each frame of imagedata taken by the image sensor. This image sensor (e.g., CCD) can be thesame image sensor 49 used for indicia capturing in order to reducehardware complexity. A trigger condition may be established so that atrigger signal 85 is created whenever a user's finger appears within animage. In stand-by mode 75, the processor examines each image (i.e.,frame) for a trigger condition and generates a trigger signal 85 toinitiate an indicia-reading sequence whenever this condition is met.

A prototype of an exemplary hand-mounted indicia-reading device with animage-based non-mechanical trigger mechanism is shown in FIG. 4. In thisdevice, the fingers (e.g., middle and ring fingers) of the user areinserted into the finger rings 105. The imaging lens 48 of the devicecan be positioned so that when the user makes a fist, the imaging lenspoints perpendicularly away from the supporting fingers. As such, theact of pointing the index finger (i.e., the index finger on the handwearing the indicia reader) while wearing the indicia-reading devicealigns the scan engine's optical axis parallel with the outstretchedfinger. All subsystems are supported by the user's middle and ringfingers in the area between the user's knuckle and first joint.

FIG. 5 depicts an exemplary hand-mounted indicia-reading device with animage-based non-mechanical trigger mechanism as it is intended to beworn in operation. When wearing the indicia-reading device, the user'sformation of a first aligns the indicia-reader's field of view (i.e.,FOV) 120 with the barcode 130, shown in FIG. 5 as a linear 1-D barcode.In this way, when the user points his index finger 107 (i.e., the indexfinger on the hand wearing the device) at the barcode 130, the barcodeis positioned within the device's field of view 120 so that the barcode130 is suitable to be captured and decoded.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the hand-mounted device for readingindicia 100 uses an area scan engine 40 as the indicia-capturingsubsystem 20. Here, the image sensor 49 continuously gathers images.Each image (i.e., frame) is monitored for the presence of a triggeringobject (e.g., the index finger) by an algorithm run by the processorcontained in the indicia-decoding subsystem 50. To start a scan usingthis image trigger embodiment of the trigger mechanism 70, the usermoves his index finger slightly in the lateral direction toward thefield of view 120 as shown in FIG. 5. When the index finger appearswithin the field of view 120, a trigger signal 85 is generated, and theappropriate electric raw signal 17 (e.g., the appropriate image) is sentto the indicia-decoding subsystem 50. The decoded signal 18 can then betransmitted to a host-device, memory, or a communication module beforereturning the indicia reader to the continual-image-gather-and-searchloop (i.e., stand-by mode 75).

Notwithstanding the foregoing, the trigger signal 85 need not be basedon an image containing a finger. As mentioned previously, there may beother embodiments of the trigger mechanism where finger motion cantrigger the indicia reader. FIG. 6 shows one such embodiment thatrequires no imaging for triggering. This embodiment is especiallyimportant for indicia-reading devices with linear scan engines that donot have integrated image sensors. In this case, a photogate switch,rather than an image analysis algorithm, may sense the movement of afinger.

Physically the photogate embodiment for the trigger mechanism 70 issimilar to the previously mentioned image embodiment in the way that theindicia reader engages the user's hand. Two finger rings 105 are meantfor the middle and ring fingers. When the user puts his fingers in thefinger rings 105, the device rests on these fingers between the user'sknuckle and first joint. In this embodiment, however, there is aphotogate trigger assembly to detect the motion of the user's indexfinger. The photogate-based non-mechanical trigger mechanism includes aphotogate housing 200, a light source 210, and a detector 220. When theuser's fingers are curled towards the palm (i.e., formed into a fist),the photogate housing 200 is empty and the light from the source 210hits the detector 220. When the user points his index finger at abarcode 130, the region within the photogate housing is filled and theuser's finger blocks the light beam.

FIG. 7 depicts an exemplary hand-mounted indicia-reading device with aphotogate-based non-mechanical trigger mechanism on a user's hand withthe user's index-finger engaged with the photogate housing 200. Ineffect, the photogate-based non-mechanical trigger mechanism acts as anoptical tripwire. The act of pointing the user's index finger at indiciais sufficient to block the optical beam and trigger the hand-mounteddevice to start the indicia-reading sequence.

In general, both non-mechanical trigger embodiments send a triggersignal 85 as a result of some motion of the user's finger (i.e.,pointing at the indicia). Both embodiments also eliminate the use of amechanical switch. The choice between the two trigger mechanisms dependsprimarily on the application and on the characteristics ofindicia-capturing subsystem 20. Area scan engines are especially wellsuited for the image-based non-mechanical trigger mechanism, because theimage sensor is already integrated into the indicia-reading device.Linear scan engines, on the other hand, are especially well suited forthe photogate-based non-mechanical trigger mechanism. Of course, this isnot to say that an area scan engine precludes the use of aphotogate-based non-mechanical trigger mechanism and vice versa.Likewise the use of a linear scan engine does not preclude the use of animage-based non-mechanical trigger mechanism.

Whether the trigger signal is generated via a photogate or through imageanalysis, the “point and shoot” hand-mounted indicia reading deviceeases operation because it uses natural movements and is intuitive touse. In addition, the non-mechanical trigger mechanism eliminates anypotential problems associated with conventional mechanical triggermechanisms.

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In the specification and/or figures, typical embodiments of theinvention have been disclosed. The present invention is not limited tosuch exemplary embodiments. The use of the term “and/or” includes anyand all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. Thefigures are schematic representations and so are not necessarily drawnto scale. Unless otherwise noted, specific terms have been used in ageneric and descriptive sense and not for purposes of limitation.

1. An indicia-reading device, comprising: an indicia-capturing subsystemincluding a multi-element image sensor for capturing images of theindicia-capturing subsystem's field of view; an indicia-decodingsubsystem configured for decoding indicia in the images captured by theindicia-capturing subsystem; a hand-mounted housing substantiallyenclosing the indicia-capturing subsystem and the indicia-decodingsubsystem, wherein the hand-mounted housing comprises finger rings toattach to the user's middle and ring fingers so that, when a user makesa first and fully extends the user's index finger, the user's indexfinger and the indicia-capturing subsystem are pointed substantially inthe same direction; and a non-mechanical trigger mechanism configured toinitiate an indicia-reading sequence performed by the indicia-capturingsubsystem and the indicia-decoding subsystem if the user's index fingeris detected in the images captured by the indicia-capturing subsystem.2. (canceled)
 3. (canceled)
 4. (canceled)
 5. (canceled)
 6. (canceled) 7.The indicia-reading device according to claim 1, comprising a processorfor decoding indicia information within the indicia-capturingsubsystem's field of view and for analyzing the images captured by theindicia-capturing subsystem to detect the presence of a user's finger.8. (canceled)
 9. (canceled)
 10. (canceled)
 11. The indicia-readingdevice according to claim 1, wherein the multi-element image sensorcomprises a CCD having a plurality of pixels.
 12. The indicia-readingdevice according to claim 1, comprising a lens for imaging theindicia-capturing subsystem's field of view onto the multi-element imagesensor.
 13. The indicia-reading device according to claim 1, comprisingan input/output subsystem for outputting decoded signals to a hostcomputer.
 14. The indicia-reading device according to claim 1, whereinthe indicia-capturing subsystem, the indicia-decoding subsystem, and thenon-mechanical trigger mechanism are powered by a battery. 15.(canceled)
 16. (canceled)
 17. (canceled)
 18. (canceled)
 19. A method forreading indicia, comprising: providing an indicia-reading device thatincludes (i) an indicia-capturing subsystem for capturing images of theindicia-capturing subsystem's field of view, (ii) an indicia-decodingsubsystem configured for decoding indicia information acquired by theindicia-capturing subsystem, and (iii) and a non-mechanical triggermechanism for initiating an indicia-reading sequence via a triggersignal; capturing images of the indicia-capturing subsystem's field ofview; generating a trigger signal if a user's finger is detected in thecaptured images; and decoding indicia information in the captured imagesin response to the generation of the trigger signal.
 20. Theindicia-reading device according to claim 11, wherein the CCD capturescolor images.
 21. The method for reading indicia according to claim 19,wherein detecting the user's index finger in the captured imagescomprises: pointing the indicia-capturing subsystem towards an indiciumfor decoding, and extending the user's index finger to point at theindicium for decoding.
 22. The method for reading indicia according toclaim 21, wherein detecting the user's index finger in the capturedimages further comprises: laterally moving the user's index fingertowards the indicia-capturing subsystem.
 23. The method for readingindicia according to claim 19, wherein the indicia-capturing subsystemcomprises a multi-element image sensor.
 24. The method for readingindicia according to claim 23, wherein the multi-element image sensor isa CCD.
 25. The method for reading indicia according to claim 23, whereinthe CCD captures color images.
 26. The method for reading indiciaaccording to claim 19, wherein the indicia-reading device comprises twofinger rings to attach to a user's middle and ring fingers so that whenattached, the indicia-reading device rests on the user's middle and ringfingers between the user's knuckle and first joint of the middle andring fingers.
 27. A non-mechanical triggering mechanism for afinger-mounted indicia-reading device, comprising: a multi-element imagesensor for repeatedly capturing images of a field of view; and aprocessor communicatively coupled to the multi-element image sensor, theprocessor configured by software to: (i) receive each captured imagefrom the multi-element image sensor, (ii) analyze each captured imagefor the presence of a finger, and (iii) generate, if a finger is presentin one or more captured images, a trigger signal to initiate anindicia-reading sequence.
 28. The non-mechanical triggering mechanismfor a finger-mounted indicia-reading device according to claim 27,wherein the multi-element image sensor is a CCD.
 29. The non-mechanicaltriggering mechanism for a finger-mounted indicia-reading deviceaccording to claim 27, wherein the finger-mounted indicia readercomprises two finger rings for a user's middle and ring fingers.
 30. Thenon-mechanical triggering mechanism for a finger-mounted indicia-readingdevice according to claim 27, wherein the finger present in the one ormore captured images is the user's index finger.